Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Codes of practice
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used
Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements
Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include:
Australian and international standards, such as:
AS/NZS 2243 Set:2006 Safety in laboratories set
AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set:2005 Environmental management standards set
AS/NZS ISO 9000 Set:2008 Quality management systems set
Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP)
Australian Dangerous Goods Code
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986
occupational health and safety (OHS) national standards and codes of practice
principles of good laboratory practice (GLP)
Business ethics
Business ethics may include:
following enterprise policy and procedures
behaving honestly and openly
respecting others and treating them with courtesy and impartiality
working diligently and responsibly
ensuring confidentiality of information, including client identification and test results
Enterprise sites
Enterprise sites may include:
laboratories
head office functions
production or processing plants
supplier services and consultancy services
Key functions
Key functions may include:
production
packaging, warehouse and distribution
quality assurance
purchasing, sales and marketing
human resources (personnel, training and employee relations)
Sources of workplace information
Sources of workplace information may include:
notice boards, public address or paging systems
standard operating procedures (SOPs), manuals, work instructions, signs and notices
material safety data sheets (MSDS)
telephone or contract details, email systems and websites
emergency exits, routes and collection points
enterprise recording and reporting procedures, quality manuals, equipment and operating/technical manuals
test methods (validated and authorised)
schematics, workflows, laboratory layouts and production and laboratory schedules
Workplace agreements, policies and procedures
Workplace agreements, policies and procedures may include:
industrial awards, enterprise bargaining agreements and individual contracts
emergencies, accidents and incidents
incident and accident/injury reports
health, safety and environment
quality assurance
customer services
Legislative requirements
Legislative requirements may involve:
OHS
workers compensation
equal employment, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment
ethics, copyright, intellectual property and privacy
environmental protection
Sustainable energy principles and work practices
Sustainable energy principles and work practices may include:
examining work practices that involve excessive use of electricity, gas and/or water
switching off equipment when not in use
regularly cleaning filters
recycling and reusing materials wherever feasible
minimising waste
Scientific and technical support
Scientific and technical support may include:
routine site sampling of raw materials and products
packaging, labelling, storing and transporting samples
visual inspection of products and packaging
routine site measurements that take a short time and involve a narrow range of variables or easily recognised control limits
cleaning of equipment
housekeeping of work areas
Equipment and resources
Equipment and resources will vary according to:
the scope and nature of the enterprise's products, and scientific/technical functions and services
Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements
OHS and environmental management requirements
all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time
all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied
where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
follow workplace procedures to complete tasks within the required timeframe
efficiently organise own daily work
accept responsibility for quality of own work.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.
This unit of competency may be assessed with:
MSL922001A Record and present data
MSL952001A Collect routine site samples
MSL972001A Conduct routine site measurements.
Resources may include:
relevant documentation, such as enterprise SOPs, legal/regulatory requirements andcodes of practice
organisational charts and flow diagrams showing links between enterprise functions and/or production processes
employment, training and career information.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
observation of candidate performing a range of scientific/technical tasks
feedback from peers and supervisors
oral or written questioning to check underpinning knowledge
review of workplace documentation completed by the candidate.
In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly.
Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.
Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.
The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment.

This competency in practice
Industry representatives have provided the case studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and show its relevance in a workplace setting.
Environmental
At the start of an induction program, the supervisor asks two new laboratory assistants to introduce themselves to all the staff individually and find out about three major tasks that each person regularly performs. In addition, they watch the company's induction video, complete the necessary paperwork and are assigned a locker and safety equipment. At the end of the day, they report back to the supervisor. On Day Two, the supervisor assigns them to an experienced technician and asks them to shadow him/her. At the end of the day the new assistants are asked to describe two tests they have observed and outline some of the major safety issues involved with each one. On Day Three, they begin bench work by helping to conduct routine tests, such as titrations of industrial waste water samples under guidance of a technician.
Manufacturing
A laboratory assistant was required to complete the company's induction program during their first week of employment. The assistant completed the following activities:
met with all laboratory staff and discussed their roles and duties
prepared their own organisational flow chart for the laboratory and recorded the contact details and key function of each staff member
talked to the laboratory manager about the company's products and services and the laboratory's role in quality assurance
read through the induction booklet's summary of key company policies, procedures, emergency and risk management plans
talked to the safety officer about OHS risks in the laboratory and the location of key safety equipment and information
prepared a plan of the layout of the company site with location of key buildings and services
shadowed several technicians to observe their daily routines
prepared a weekly work plan in conjunction with the supervisor.